Sussex Archaeological Collections: Relating to the history and antiquities of the counties of East and West Sussex
Sussex Archaeological Society, 2000. (updated 2022) https://doi.org/10.5284/1000334. How to cite using this DOI
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- ADS Collection: 285
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000334
- How to cite using this DOI
Quarrying the Mixon Reef at Selsey, West Sussex
By DAVID and ANNE BONE
The Mixon Reef off Selsey Bill has attracted a number of theories about its historic use. Observations of scuba divers have encouraged ideas of the reef being the site of a Roman fort, whilst medieval maps suggest an 'ancient city' on the reef. These suggestions have become accepted as fact, although never critically examined. The reef is known to have been quarried for building stone, although the circumstances surrounding its cessation have never been adequately investigated. Documents preserved in The National Archives have verified the historic accounts of the Mixon Reef as a quarry, and the prohibition of quarrying by the Admiralty in 1827. This information, together with geological and archaeological knowledge of the region, allows a new understanding of the Mixon Reef and the exploitation of its stone.
